Jane Perrone's organic gardening blog

December 22, 2009

Hot Plot or not? Number 10 - The Christmas special, aka Wreath Idol

After having a field day with other people's gardens, I thought it was time to target the horticultural critiques a little closer to home.

Given that my garden is under a blanket of snow right now, and is, anyway, nothing I'd proudly display, I thought I'd go a little off piste (fnar) with this entry for Hot Plot or Not.

Above you can see displayed my efforts at a door wreath for Christmas. Now, rather unfairly I'd like to take a few words to explain myself - I know I don't offer this to the others who put themselves forward for HPON, but hell, it's my baby and I'll do as I please. So anyway, yes - this was made entirely from stuff either from the garden, the play area at the park or a nearby country park. I only cut the ivy where it was in huge abundance so as not to inconvenience the local wildlife, and everything will go on the compost heap once the festivities are over.

My partner's reaction was that it isn't very, er, jolly. My argument is that this is a Christmas wreath for our times - restrained, muted and, above all, cheap - it cost 50p to make which was the price of the metal frame at my local flrist. Call it "credit crunch chic" if you will. Oh, and more practically, I couldn't find any holly, ok?

Thanks to everyone who commented on HPON 9: Anne Wareham's "veg plot" pic garnered 22 "hots" and seven "nots" - a very respectable margin. The random winner of the comment prize was Woody Wilbury, so something garden-related will be winging its way to him in the new year. There's another prize available for a random commenter on this post, so don't be shy - have your say on my wreath below. Just remember to start with "HOT" or "NOT" and write a few words to justify your judgment.

21 Comments

First reaction - 'hot' - I love the glossy and abundant nature of it but I would agree with your partner - it has got a slightly funereal feel to it. Would personally have sprayed a couple of the pine cones gold or silver for some festive bling.

However, I love the price tag and, as I've been too lazy to make my own, I realise people with shop bought wreaths shouldn't throw pinecones (or something like that)

Not. Sorry I'm with your partner - it's not doing it for me. I think it is the ivy that looks a bit mournful. A few unsustainable gaudy red baubles from Poundland would brighten it up. Splash out! after all it is Christmas!

not - I think it's a nice beginning but it needs some bling. Ribbons or baubles in a bright contrasting colour or metallic. Even if not compostable at the end of the season you can always save and re-use the shiny stuff next year. If you really want to compost, some holly with berries might be nice. I have holly-envy - it doesn't grow here and I love it.

Not.
Sorry, Jane, but it looks like a wreath that has just returned from a very lacklustre office party. An office party which said wreath attended wearing shoes that were much too tight.
It is a slightly depressed and rather lugubrious wreath more suited to a hamster's funeral than a season of joy and goodwill to all men.
It could definitely do with, at the very least, a ribbon.
Or maybe a sparkly bauble.

Almost hot. I'd like to see a clearer hole in the middle and a glittery ribbon to add a little bling. Did you wind the ivy around the base? That makes for a tighter finish.

If you have any dogwood, willow or winter jasmine to hand you could have wound several stems together to make your base for free.

Rosehips (with thorns removed first) make a good substitute for holly if you have any in your neighbourhood. If they're small hips, you can tie bunches of them together and poke them through the base at intervals for some festive cheer.

I like it! Had you been able to get some variegated holly or some fatsia with those bizarre little constellation florets, I think this would have been outstanding, but even as it is, I think it's great. Hot, definitely.

We're conditioned to gaudiness by the commercialism of Christmas in the shops, but when you've spent a while looking at the beauty of our natural and muted winter plants, all that bling can look very gaudy and migraine inducing.

A qualified hot (am I the very last to comment on this?) Lots of good ideas above to inject zingy colour, but more than that it just needs the droop of the bottommost leaves to be deleted. I am full of admiration that you put this together. Did you see any of the victorian christmas tv stuff? Ms. reconstruction was dipping the edges of leaves for her wreath into crushed glass for extra sparkle. Perilous but twinkly! Worth a try and also cheap?